NICOLE LANGAN of TRIBUTE BOOKS - Spotlight Party Guest

Please welcome Nicole Langan, publisher, book reviewer, blogger and much more.

How are you diggin the party?
Any time books equal fun - count me in!

Tell me about yourself?
My name is Nicole Langan and I live in northeast Pennsylvania near Scranton.

Are you in the book business? What do you do?
I am the owner of a small publishing house, Tribute Books (http://www.tribute-books.com) and I review books at my blog Tribute Books Reviews & Giveaways (http://tributebooksreviews.blogspot.com).


Have you read any of LM Preston’s books? Say something smashingly great about LM Preston or her books.

I've read Explorer X-Alpha. Following is an excerpt from my review (http://tributebooksreviews.blogspot.com/2010/03/review-giveaway-explorer-x-alpha-by-lm.html):
First time novelist L.M. Preston succeeds in writing a book boys will want to read. Not an easy task when 12-year-olds are more captivated by a flashing screen than a stationary page. But Explorer X-Alpha primes its audience for an action-filled look at space camp in the year 2080.


What are you currently working on?
For Tribute Books, I'm working on promoting Thumbing Through Thoreau: A Book of Quotations by Henry David Thoreau by Kenny Luck (http://www.thumbingthroughthoreau.com)





Why God Matters: How to Recognize Him in Daily Life by Karina Lumbert Fabian and Deacon Steven Lumbert (http://www.whygodmatters.com) which are on virtual tours for June 2010, and I'm also getting Industrial Pioneers by Patrick Brown ready for publication.








For Tribute Books Reviews & Giveaways, I'll be reviewing and giving away copies of Female Nomad and Friends by Rita Golden Gelman through Promo 101 - Virtual Blog Tours with Nikki Leigh (http://bookpromotionservices.com) on June 16 and The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C.W. Gortner through Pump Up Your Book Promotion (http://www.pumpupyourbook.com) on June 25.


Big things in your future?
For Tribute Books, Kenny Luck will have a book signing at the Shop at Walden Pond in Concord, MA (http://www.shopatwaldenpond.org) for Thumbing Through Thoreau on July 10. Karina Fabian will be attending the Catholic Writers Conference (http://www.catholicwritersconference.com) in Valley Forge, PA on August 4-6.

For Tribute Books Reviews & Giveaways, we'll be participating in BlogMania on September 15-16 (http://blogmaniaevent.blogspot.com) with over $100 in book giveaways.

THIS IS THE LAST WEEK of WEEKLY GIVEAWAY PARTY FAVORS! CLICK HERE and send your contact information to the publisher for your freebies. Go to the PARTY BLOG click here

SHAMELESS PARTYING

Yep, the day soon approaches. D-DAY. Release Day! Yippee! If you haven’t gotten your party favor yet, this is the last week for getting a free book. Sunday, August 1st is the birthday for THE PACK. I’m having a small party of friends and posting up some teen comments from kids that got a free sample of books for their classroom. Yessir, we gave an entire class a copy of The Pack to read and give me feedback. Although, the book can be enjoyed by grownups, it was written with 7th-9th graders in mind.

WHAT’s HAPPENING WITH THE PACK next

I’ll officially start my in-person tour of The Pack on August, 14th. Come by and see me at the African American Book Expo in Columbia, MD. I’ll be hitting Books-A-Million (Dupont Circle, DC – Sept. 11th), Ukazoo Books (Towson, MD – Sept. 18th). At the Baltimore Book Fair, I’ll be giving away 2-books for just $7 with my signature, a great poster and keychain. Why do I love giving stuff away to my readers? Because I love them. Young people are my passion and writing strong male & female characters for them is my small way of respecting the strength they hold within during the most vibrant part of their lives.

MY PARTY BLOG – The place that keeps on giving

This is my official party blog site. That means that every month I’ll be giving something away. Whether it’s a poster, magnet, t-shirt, pen anything. Also, it’s a place where you can drop in and find out about what’s coming next. Also, some writing contest will be coming for a big prize giveaway for the holidays.

DON’T BE SHY Get your freebie :-D

So don’t be shy. Comment and when you want to find out about other YA books, Authors, Movies, Teen issues and tons of scifi stuff drop over to my LM Preston’s

Blog: http://lmpreston.blogspot.com
And for teasers of upcoming books: www.lmpreston.com
THIS IS THE LAST WEEK of WEEKLY GIVEAWAY PARTY FAVORS! CLICK HERE and send your contact information to the publisher for your freebies. Go to the PARTY BLOG click here

JOHN KUDRICK, Editor - PARTY GUEST

Please welcome John, who's an awesome editor that was a guest Editor at the Maryland Writer's Association (MWA)

John David Kudrick is an editor and wordsmith who offers a full scope of services to authors, from manuscript evaluations and developmental editing to copyediting and book proposal development. With more than a decade of editorial/writing experience and a master’s degree in writing, John David has been privileged to work with some of the finest publishers in the nation, including David C. Cook, NavPress, Realms Fiction, Marcher Lord Press, and Whitaker House – where, as senior editor, he worked on James Byron Huggins’ Nightbringer, a book that Library Journal named one of its annual top five Christian novels. To date, John David has had the opportunity to serve as editor on 75 published titles, including both non-fiction and fiction.

How are you diggin the party?

Good stuff! My first virtual party, and I'm liking it.


Tell me about yourself?

In a nutshell, I'm all about God, my wonderful wife, our three peanuts, fiction (reading, writing, and editing it), fitness, and getting outdoors to enjoy nature, especially if it involves a fishing pole in my hands. In terms of career, I've worked at a monthly newsmag, a daily newspaper, a book publisher, a marketing firm, and now for myself as a full-time freelance editor/writer (see next question).


Are you in the book business? What do you do?

Indeed I am. Right now, I'm a self-employed freelance editor/writer who works mostly on fiction book manuscripts, although I am more than happy to help out with non-fiction, too. I do everything from initial evaluations and offering guidance to authors, all the way to the nitty-gritty of copyediting and proofreading. I also help authors with query letters, proposal packages, and marketing copy. And I do it all from my IKEA standing work station in a corner of our bedroom, which is where I am typing this right now.


Have you read any of LM Preston’s books? Say something smashingly great about LM Preston or her books.

Right in the middle of The Pack now (even read it in the chiropractor's waiting room today), and if I wanted to describe LM Preston as a writer with one phrase, it would be: An unbelievably wild and creative imagination that seems to have no bounds.


What are you currently working on?
As a book editor, I am working on a fantasy with dwarves, witches, and men; another fantasy with dragons, elves, and men; a YA vampire novel; an international thriller; a chick-lit novel that I am in absolute awe of; and a Christian living book on spirituality. As a writer, I'm working on an e-newsletter for a Middle Eastern department of tourism and some website copy for a humanitarian aid organization that also happens to be based in the Middle East.


Big things in your future?
Lots more editing projects coming down the pipeline, but I am determined to make time for my own fiction writing. So I have my sights set on being published and throwing my own virtual book-release party (thanks for the great idea, LM, and thanks for having me as a guest!).

Find out more about John David:
www.johndavidkudrick.com

THIS IS THE LAST WEEK of WEEKLY GIVEAWAY PARTY FAVORS! CLICK HERE and send your contact information to the publisher for your freebies. Go to the PARTY BLOG click here

SUSAN KAYE QUINN - Spotlight Party Guest

Please welcome my spotlight guest, and check out her book! If you like romance and adventure she's delivered it.



How are you diggin the party?

I’ve been popping in and out, marveling at all you have going on, lady! Nice!

Tell me about yourself?

I write middle grade and young adult books, and I'm a mom of three boys, ex-engineer, rocket scientist, and elected official. But mostly I write stories for kids and love every minute of it. My first published novel, Life, Liberty, and Pursuit (2010, Omnific Publishing), is a teen love story about a college-bound girl who falls in a pool, the Navy recruit who rescues her, and their struggle to choose between following their dreams and daring to love.

Are you in the book business? What do you do?

I guess I am now! My book just published this last week, and I’m still trying that “published author” label on for size. So far, it feels kinda tingly, but several shades of awesome. But for some time now I’ve been blogging about writing and reading children’s books and connecting with writers. Having worked in many different fields, I have to say that the writing community is the warmest, most collaborative place I’ve ever seen.

Have you read any of LM Preston’s books? Say something smashingly great about LM Preston or her books.

Although Explorer X-Alpha is on my TBR list, I haven’t read it yet, which is something I need to remedy right quick. Especially because LM is the trifecta of awesome: MG writer, SF writer, and fellow blogger!

What are you currently working on?

Now that Life, Liberty, and Pursuit is launched, I need to get back to my other two WIPs: a middle grade science fiction (yay!) novel called Byrne Risk that’s near-ready for querying, and a young adult paranormal novel, Open Minds, which I’m still drafting. I have another pesky idea for a boy-centric middle grade novel knocking around in my head, but it needs to wait in line while I get these books written.

Big things in your future?

Hopefully more of the same: writing, blogging, publishing. I’ve only been writing for about a year and a half, but the passion for it has completely taken me over. I want to do this for the rest of my life. Is that too big to ask for?

FIND SUSAN HERE:
Blog: www.ink-spells.blogspot.com
Author of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit (June 2010, Omnific Publishing) www.LifeLibertyandPursuit.com

GET YOUR PARTY FAVORS! CLICK HERE and send your contact information to the publisher for your freebies. Go to the PARTY BLOG click here

WRITING A SEQUEL

I'm currently writing the first draft of the sequel to The Pack. It's called, The Pack - Retribution. This is the 2nd sequel I've written and I must admit, it's easy in some ways and difficult in others.

THE EASY PART OF A WRITING A SEQUEL

I know my characters well. These characters become real to me when I write them the first time. With each page they reveal more and more about themselves in that first book in the series. It's exciting getting to know them and finding out what comes out at the end.

THE HARD PART OF WRITING A SEQUEL

The most difficult part are the boundaries. You've created this character and you want to make sure that you don't change them from the core character you've created. You have to bring new readers up to date without boring returning readers. There is a fine line in writing sequel's that I've had to learn to work between.

GET YOUR PARTY FAVORS! CLICK HERE and send your contact information to the publisher for your freebies. Go to the PARTY BLOG click here

THE SKINNY ON THE CHARACTERS

When I created the characters in this book, I had to create kids that had been through a lot. Most grownups assume that just because a kid is young, that they are not brave, edgy, a hero. Well I knew real life kids that were and I used them as examples for my characters.

HEDI – Shamira’s best friend, had to work for her friendship with Shamira. Hedi had been kidnapped, raped, abused and enslaved by the crime organization on Mars. But she fought against the organization by using her hacking skills to find out secrets about their mysterious leader. She kept her flirty nature as a shield to hide behind, but inside she just sought to be loved.

MITCH – He and Shamira never saw eye to eye. He didn’t like the fact that he’d saved Shamira’s life and she didn’t seem to trust his motives. He’d been blackmailed with the life of his sister and became a drug runner for the crime sect that was taking over Mars and he just wanted a way out with his sister.

ANTHONY – The jovial giant that is filled with hope, but afraid to show his doubt. He’s fiercely loyal to his friends and his friendship with Mitch and Hedi go way back to the day they’d been captured. He’d do anything to protect them all. He has tons of respect for Shamira and sees her and Hedi like baby sisters he needs to protect.

GET YOUR PARTY FAVORS! CLICK HERE and send your contact information to the publisher for your freebies. Go to the PARTY BLOG click here

MONIQUE - 'THE MOVIE DIVA' Spotlight Guest

Hello all, please say hello to Monique, our Movie Diva. She has a Movie and Entertainment blog that is a MUST SEE. Check her out daily before you venture out to the movies or out on the town to the video store. Here’s her link www. Moniqueblog.net

How are you diggin the party?
Great!

Tell me about yourself?
I'm Monique Jones, an entertainment blogger. My site, Moniqueblog.net, primarily focuses on movies, but I also write about niche pop-culture topics such as Archie Comics and Harry Potter.

Are you in the book business? What do you do?
Aside from writing Polite Society and my other book ideas, I have been the art director for Aura, the literary magazine for my school, the University of Alabama at Birmingham. My sister, Ashley, who was editor-in-chief of the magazine, has been published in several literary magazines, including Aura.

Have you read any of LM Preston’s books? Say something smashingly great about LM Preston or her books.
I have been reading The Pack, and it's a really great read. Her ideas-people living on Mars, the main character being a blind girl who fights evildoers-are all really evocative.

What are you currently working on?
I'm working on several book ideas, but the one which is the most unique is Polite Society, a story about a group of young adults-some servants and some part of the elite-dealing with each other, relationships, and secrets. What makes this book unique is that it will be written entirely online. It can be read at societybook.wordpress.com

Big things in your future?
I hope for Polite Society to be one of my first successes in the book world, and after that, it'd be great if it became a movie or a tv show. Of course, I hope that for all of my book ideas. Other than that, I'll be using my major-journalism-to make it big in the entertainment industry. Hopefully, I can become the next Roger Ebert.

The PDF to the first chapter is attached; the first chapter as well as other info is on the site (societybook.wordpress.com). Also, you can use any images of the characters on the site; they're all drawn by me. Thanks for this!

GET YOUR PARTY FAVORS! CLICK HERE and send your contact information to the publisher for your freebies. Go to the PARTY BLOG click here

ROZA MARIE - Spotlight Party Guest

Please say hello to ROZA MARIE one of the great mods on YALITCHAT.ning.com you can drop into her blog or find her on Wed nights at the YAlitchat at 9pm using the hashtag #yalitchat

How are you diggin the party?
Yes. Love the party. Writers of all kinds coming here telling their story it is way cool.

Tell me about yourself?
I graduated from the University of Akron, and have a degree in Math (Which I rarely use). Teaching wasn't for me, so I began working at a sales company Byco Distributing, where I met my husband. Awww. I know. Anyways, we had our daughter, then our son, and we also have a lovely blue healer (That's a dog, our third child hahaha). We co-own a business. My current career business owner/ Office manager/ writer. I love writing, reading and playing outdoors. I believe in doing one crazy thing in life once, that way you can say you lived it with adventure. I've been writing since college and haven't quit, and my husband encouraged me to take it as far as I could go. So, one day at 24 yrs old I am learning about the business, and three years later... Here I am.

A quirky tidbit about me:
I love music, writing chapters with songs I listen to and swimming at least ten l

Are you in the book business?
I am not the owner of Books a Million because my last name happens to be Million if that is what you are asking LOL. Although I do get that one a lot. ;) Then I have to say nope but I am a writer, a group coordinator to a writing site YALITCHAT.NING.COM. and I am blogger.

Have you read any of LM Preston’s books?
I've beta read Bandits. But I've never read any of her recently published works. LM Preston is amazing with time management skills, LM Preston does a lot with the little time the world provides us with =)

What are you currently working on?
I just finished up a wip called Runaways: It's about seventeen yr old Felicity Taylor, on the run from the magical world she belongs to. This hybrid fairy was accused of killing her roommate Mary Swan. With the help of her guardian Brooks Rawson they might be able to figure out who actually murdered Mary.

I am also working on another wip called Limiting life: It's about sixteen year old Grey Anderson, an athelete and bookworm, with golden colored eyes. She has no idea that the doodles she draws out of bordem is actually the teachings of her past. Eric Covenington must gain a friendship with Grey before a dark shadow takes her, and turns her into a weapon against the magical world.

Big things in your future?
I hope so. I am querying right now, and hope to snag an agent soon for one if not all my lovely works. =)

ROZA MARIE’s Book Blog: http://adayintothewriter.blogspot.com/

GET YOUR PARTY FAVORS! CLICK HERE and send your contact information to the publisher for your freebies. Go to the PARTY BLOG click here

What Are Reviewers Saying?

Here are some of the reviews I got for The Pack. It's an exciting high for authors to get reviews. I hope you enjoy some of these. While you are at it, follow these wonderful Book Bloggers who take their passion for books and share it with the masses.

Book Reader's Heaven

Emma Michael's

Cajun Book Lady

Satisfaction For Insatiable Readers

Cheryl's Book Nook

The O.W.L

Bookish In A Box

My Four Monkeys

Luke Reviews

Wordsmithsonia

Badass Bookie

Reading At The Beach

The Bodacious Pen

Brenda Loves Books

A Reader's Adventure

PICK UP YOUR PARTY FAVORS HERE! email contact information to get your free party favor! Stay tuned for the big giveaway!

MAGGIE MEI LEWIS - Spotlight Party Guest

Please welcome Maggie Mei Lewis, author of Moonlight Memoirs

I am please to have a wonderful copy of her book. My 6 yr old loves the pictures and poetic style of this book. I'm honored she is visiting us. This awesome picture is Maggie holding her IBPA award for her book. To think, at 13yrs she wrote a book, found her own Illustrator and started a publishing company with the help of her mother. An amazing young person that shows that thinking outside of the box can grant you riches beyond your imagination.

How are you diggin the party?
It's really cool, and I can't wait to see all the different books and authors featured! The Pack was an awesome book!

Tell me about yourself?
I am 16, and the author of Moonlight Memoirs the children's book. I wrote it when I was 13. I found my own illustrator, Melody Lea Lamb, on eBay. We had fun working together - I'd give her the words from the book for the illustration and some guidelines for what I wanted. Then, Melody would interpret the words into her beautiful illustrations!

Are you in the book business? What do you do?
My parents started a book publishing business, Good Times Press, and my book, Moonlight Memoirs, is their first published book.

Have you read any of LM Preston’s books? Say something smashingly great about LM Preston or her books.
I read the Pack, after meeting LM Preston at the Key School Bookfair. She is a kind, wonderful person, and her books are very alluring. Once you start reading, you can't put it down!

What are you currently working on?
I have been busy promoting Moonlight Memoirs, and trying to get it out there and noticed by more people. There's so much stuff to do, that I hadn't even realized existed. It's been an interesting experience and I keep learning more new things.

Big things in your future?
I hope to write another book, when the inspiration comes to me.
Maggie’s Blog: http://maggiemeilewis.blogspot.com/
Follow her on Twitter: Click here
Read her book:



GET YOUR PARTY FAVORS! CLICK HERE and send your contact information to the publisher for your freebies. Go to the PARTY BLOG click here

THE PACK GADGET LIST

As a SciFi buff and engineer I love gadgets. Many gadgets. I guess that's why I love writing SciFi, but when writing YA Scifi I don't have to go into the over the hill design specifications for my gadgets. Here is a list of gadgets and weapons used by Shamira and her team.

Club/Sword - Shamira's favorite weapon is a sword that starts off shaped like a club, but with the flick of her wrist it can become a sword then a sword riddled with tiny knives.

Globnet - This is a tiny metal ball that Shamira throws. It expands into a metal net and slaps the victim to any stabilized object nearby.

Truth Tick - This is a bug like mini-robotic tick that when it is attached to the victim will force them to tell the truth

Flying Shoe tags - Valens creates this and they are metal tags that attach to the bottom of shoes and allows the wearer to fly and glide several feet up in the air.

Wind disc - These disc kick up the wind and sand by creating a mini-tornado then after a period of time it blows up

DON'T FOGET TO EMAIL PUBLISHER FOR YOUR PARTY FAVORS! Click Here and send your contact information for your free prize!

ALLY PELTIER, Editor - SPOTLIGHT PARTY GUEST

Ally E. Peltier is an editor, writer, and publishing consultant for individuals and businesses such as Simon & Schuster, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Kaplan Publishing, Rodale Inc., and more. Ally formerly acquired and edited books for Touchstone Fireside/Simon & Schuster and has published articles in a variety of venues, including The Writer, Writer's Digest 2009 Guide to Literary Agents, and ConsumerSearch.com. A Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing, Ally also ghostauthors nonfiction books and teaches workshops for writers.

How are you diggin the party?

I think this virtual book party idea is clever and perfectly suited to the way books are marketed these days. Very cool! I’m definitely diggin’ it.

Tell me about yourself?

I’m a book lover, no question! I’ve been reading since I was three years old and when my eyes give out I’ll just “read” audio books. I’m passionate about the written word and clear communication. I’m also passionate about helping people get published, whether via traditional routes or self-publishing or Indie publishing. I love going to conferences and speaking to writers, sharing my experiences and knowledge of the business to help them better achieve their goals. You’ve got to educate yourself about the industry and be an active participant in your success—like LM Preston!

Are you in the book business? What do you do?

I used to work for the Touchstone Fireside imprint of Simon & Schuster, where I learned what really goes on inside a publishing house and what it takes to turn a manuscript into a finished book. I had a wonderfully supportive boss and coworkers there who taught me so much. Since 2004 I’ve been a freelance editor, writer, and publishing consultant. I work with a variety of publishing professionals, writers, and also business owners to create or edit content—I do everything from book manuscripts to website copy and brochures.

Have you read any of LM Preston’s books? Say something smashingly great about LM Preston or her books.

I have a copy of THE PACK waiting in my “to-read” stack, and I’m looking forward to it. Lanita is such a great example of how to publish the right way—she takes her time to produce quality books (hiring professionals like editors and designers to help her) and formulate a marketing plan, which she then executes with creativity and enthusiasm. I hope other writers considering Indie publishing route take note. Her partnership in ownership of Phenomenal One Press shows her passion for her work.

What are you currently working on?

This summer I’m writing a couple of proposals for ghostwriting projects and also working with a publisher to create digital content for a series of health books. I’m really excited about that because we’ll be doing e-books and other types of content for e-readers and mobile devices, which are kind of the “new frontier” in book publishing. I’ve got a few article ideas to send around this summer as well.

Big things in your future?

I’m about to launch a new white paper on fiction book proposals to round out my current offerings (get free white papers at www.ambitiousenterprises.com/ae_free_content.php). I also hope to turn my attention to a few e-book projects I’ve been formulating so that I can launch those early next year. I’ve always got a new ambitious enterprise on the horizon :)

Find out more about Ally!
www.ambitiousenterprises.com
www.facebook.com/aepeltier
www.twitter.com/allypeltier

Get free white papers at www.ambitiousenterprises.com/ae_free_content.php

DON'T FORGET TO PICK UP YOUR PARTY FAVOR! EMAIL PUBLISHER CLICK HERE

HOW THE PACK WAS BORN

There were several things that influenced the idea of The Pack. I had originally planned for this character to be a male. I had told my beta team (my kids and husband) about this idea I had about a blind vigilante that organizes a group of misfit kids to fight against a major crime organization on Mars.

My daughter told me that she wanted me to write about a female main character. That it would be cool to have a girl in the role. I smiled and Shamira’s face appeared in my minds eye.

I decided that her mission would be to save the missing kids, because I wanted to write about missing kids escaping from captivity. Every day at my job I pass a board of missing children. My heart went out to them, and I always hurt for their loss. Once a former colleague who’d been a police officer told me of a horrible case where he had located missing kids that were captured and being used in despicable ways by their captors who had enslaved them for years before disposing of them.

These sad facts were the makings of The Pack. In The Pack, Shamira goes from a blind loner who is super enhanced. To a leader of many that become her friends that help her in not just saving kids, but changing her world forever.

WANNA FREE PARTY FAVOR? CLICK HERE AND EMAIL YOUR ADDRESS TO THE PUBLISHER